LAHORE - Punjab Chief Minister Ch Parvez Elahi Wednesday expressed deep concern over the increase in the number of dengue patients in Rawalpindi, Lahore and Guj-ranwala and reprimanded the the authorities for not taking anti-dengue pre-ventive measures on time.
“The situation should be assessed in time and an emergency strategy should be formulated accordingly”, he said while presiding over a meeting at his office to review the situation and measures to control the disease.
While approving the establishment of a centre of disease control for the timely prevention of epidemic diseases, the CM directed that rescue 1122, health and line departments should give a final shape to the Act.
The Punjab government will get the approval of the Act from the assembly for the establishment of a centre of disease control to prevent epidemics; he added and directed the formation of a committee. This initiative will help in the prevention of dengue, corona, cholera, ty-phoid and other epidemic diseases, he said.
The chief minister ordered anti-dengue measures on a war footing throughout the province, especially in high-risk districts.
He gave in-principle approval to make permanent the temporary staff for anti-dengue and directed that a summary should be submitted as per the rules.
He also ordered to buy fogging machines and asked the secretary of the local government department to do the needful within seven days and submit a report to him. ‘I would review anti-dengue steps regularly and the deputy commis-sioners should hold meetings daily and reports be sent to my office,’ he said. The work should be continued even during Sundays and other holidays, he add-ed.
Dengue patients should be given full attention in hospitals and necessary medical facilities be ensured; he stressed and ordered effective indoor and outdoor surveillance throughout Punjab, especially in Rawalpindi, Lahore and Gujranwala.
Provincial Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid, former federal minister Moonis Elahi, Chief Secretary Kamran Afzal, Principal Secretary to CM Muhammad Khan Bhatti, administrative secretaries, commissioner and DC Lahore, DG LDA, DG Rescue 1122, DG Health Services Punjab, Prof Dr Waseem Akram, dean institute of pub-lic health Lahore and others attended the meeting while commissioners, deputy commissioners, CEOs of DHAs, secretary housing (south Punjab), DG RDA and MD WASA Rawalpindi participated through video link.
CM inaugurates three Tevta projects
Punjab Chief Minister Ch Parvez Elahi Wednesday inaugurated three projects of the Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority (TEVTA) at his of-fice.
Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister said that 43 buses of Rs.620 million have been given to 37 TEVTA institutions including 12 buses that have been handed over to institutions situated in south Punjab. This would facili-tate the students in their daily movement, he added. The best machinery has been provided in Kasur Institute of Leather Technology, built with 20.44 mil-lion rupees, to train 380 students on modern lines. Best-trained manpower in leather technology is in demand not only in Pakistan but worldwide; the CM noted and hoped that the production of quality leather products will signifi-cantly increase exports.
Parvez Elahi stated that the upgradation of the Institute of Blue Pottery De-velopment and the construction of a new building has cost 210 million rupees to train 800 students with state-of-the-art machinery and infrastructure to impart the latest skills in ceramics. The students, trained in these institu-tions, will bring laurels home with their skills.
They should learn modern skills, along with formal education, as skilled workers have become a re-quirement of every industry. The Punjab government was providing facilities to attract the new generation towards it, he concluded.
Senior Minister Aslam Iqbal, Chairperson TEVTA Mamoon Tarar, MPAs namely Rana Shahbaz and Taimur Lali, Principal Secretary to CM Muhammad Khan Bhatti, sec-retary industries, Senior DG TEVTA Akhtar Abbas Bharwana and others attended the event.